Polypheme

Polyphemus was the name of the ill-fated cyclops who met his match in the Greek hero Odysseus. The king Odysseus, on his long journey home from fighting in the Trojan war, stopped with his men on Polyphemus’ island. Polyphemus quickly starts eating Odysseus’ men, so Odysseus has a talk with Polyphemus, tells him his name is Oitus (aka Nobody), and convinces him to drink a barrel of wine and fall asleep. After this, Odysseus and his men use a sharpened stake to blind Polyphemus and allow for their escape. As they fled, Polyphemus screamed the now-famous phrase “Nobody has blinded me!” Joan Miro has depicted this tragic monster of Greek lore as an amorphous one-eyed figure, descending slowly into a sea of black abyss. This etching is signed and numbered in pencil by the artist.

Polypheme by Joan Miro, Spanish (1893–1983)

Date: 1968

Aquatint Etching with Carborundum on Mandeure paper, signed and numbered in pencil

Edition of 75, HC

Image Size: 37 x 25.25 inches

Size: 40 x 27 in. (101.6 x 68.58 cm)

Printer: Maeght Editeur, Paris

Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris

Reference: Dupin 450